Improvement in rotary clod-fenders



L; M. DODDRIDGE.

Clod Fender;

Patented Sept. 14, 1869.

STATES .LOYAL M. nonnninenflol NEWMOUNT PLEASANT, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY crow-rescues.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 94,575, dated September 14, 1859.

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOYAL M. Donnnrnen,

of New Mount Pleasant, Jay county, Indiana,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clod-Fenders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents a sideelevation; Fig. 2, a front elevation, the red outlines indicating its reversed position.

The corresponding letters refer to corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention relates to plow attachments called clod-fenders; and my improvement consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of which it is composed, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A in the drawings represents the frame work of the fender. It is to be made of strong wire, or any other suitable metal, circular, and dished toward the center on that side which is presented to the plow. The several rings constituting the frame-work are firmly secured together by cross-bars a a, on the convex side, being perforated in the center, and on these cross-bars are mounted arched bars a a, also perforated in the center, to form a bearing for the shaft on which this frame revolves.

A is a dirt-pan. It is a circular dished piece of sheet metal,- of somewhat smaller diameter than the frame A, and placed on the shaft against a shoulder thereon, lying on the dished concave surface of the frame. It is to be used in cultivating very young corn, 810.; and its object is to prevent too much earth falling on the youngshoots. Vhen hilling up to larger plants, this pan is to be removed.

.B represents the crank-shaft, on the crank portion B of which the circular frame-work or fender proper revolves. This portion is provided with a boss or shoulder, against which the dirt-pan or, when this is not used, the fender itself abuts. Its outer end, passing through the perforated cross-bars a and arched bars a, is provided with a screw-thread for the reception of a nut, by which the fender is held in place.

By removing this nut and then the fender, the dirt-pan may be placed on this crank portion B, or when not needed be taken off. The shaft has its bearings in the elongated sides of the clip 0, and can be adjusted so as to place the fender nearer to or farther from the plow by means of the nuts I) b.

0 represents the clip just alluded to, which is to be placed over the plow-beam, so that the fender shall be opposite to the mold-board thereof. It may be secured by means of a plate, 0, passing over its ends, and keys 0, as shown in Fig. 1; or, instead of keys, nuts may be used, in this case the ends being prepared for the reception thereof. The sides of the clip project some distance above the cross piece, and are here provided with perforations through which the shaft B passes. The stop 0 is an angular piece of metal, one side of which is secured to the clip, from which the other side projects horizontally, serving as a stop to the crank-shaft B B. Instead of a rigid stop, as described, a spring may be used, so attached to the clip that it will ordinarily keep the fender in proper position, but yield sufficiently to enable the fender to overcome immovable obstructions. 1

By the above-described construction and arrangement of the parts a very superior clodfender is produced.

I will state some of the advantages which it possesses over other devices for this purpose. Being of a circular form, and revolving on the crank-shaft, it offers very little resistance in drawing it over the ground. If it meets with any obstruction or elevation of the ground, it will oscillate to the rear, and thus easily overcome them, and also adjust itself to deep or shallow plowing. It will not become choked, as by its revolving and peculiar dished construction clods, &c., will be thrown off with the greatest facility- The crank -shaft is reversible, so that the fender can be used either before or behind the stop on the clip, as circumstances may require.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In combination with a plow or cultivator, a reversible revolving concave clod-fender.

2. The combination of the clip 0, when constructed and attached to plow-beam, as shown,

and having the stop 0, with the crank-shaft In testimony whereofI have signed my name B B, and dished frame A, substantially as and to this specification in the presence of two subfor the purpose set forth. scribing witnesses.

3. In the above combination the dished dirt- T pan A, substantially as and fo1 the purpose set LOX AL DODDRIDGE' forth. V'Vitnesses:

4. The construction of the frame A, sub- CHARLES REED,

stantially as described. 0. P. STARR. 

